Chi Epsilon Sigma Constitution and Bylaws
The Organization's Governing Documents:
Organizations benefit from establishing formal rules to fairly and effectively manage operations. Two types of governing instruments, bylaws and standing rules, detail specific policies and procedures to be followed by decision-makers in the conduct of business.
Bylaws and standing rules are interrelated; however, their relationship is strictly hierarchical. Provisions in the bylaws always supersede any standing rule that may be adopted.
As the written rules of conduct for an organization, Bylaws generally provide for meetings , election of a board of officers, filling vacancies, notice types, duties of officers, committees, and other routine conduct. Bylaws are, in effect, a contract among members and must be formally adopted and/or amended.
Standing rules are administrative and establish the responsibilities of officers as well as committee specifics, such as the structure, membership and frequency of committee meeting.
While an organization can function with only a set of bylaws, establishing standing rules for administrative functions can make an organization more effective.
Chi Epsilon Sigma
Work on the bylaws for this fledgling organization in October 1988 was under the direction of charter members Becky Hooper and Jamie Nightingale. A draft was presented for review at the Board Meeting on May 4, 1989 and approved unanimously by the membership at the Annual Meeting on October 18, 1989.
Over the years, the constitution and bylaws have been reviewed and amended. Changes have been made in response to periodic re-organization in Extension.
In 1995 Jill King, Past President and Chair of the Constitution & Bylaws Committee worked with Ella Mae Bard, FCS Agent in Knox County, to take a critical look at the documents. The result was the development of two documents: the Constitution & Bylaws along with a separate Standing Rules document. October 24, 1996 changes were unanimously approved and the Standing Rules were formalized.
In recognition of her efforts on behalf of CES, Ella Mae Bard was presented with an Honorary Membership in CES at the 1996 Annual Meeting.
In 2019, for the current Constitution and Bylaws document, the major changes were the removal of the directors and the Mentor officer position, addition of a new officer position, Support Staff Liaison, moving one directorship to officer position -the CFAES Staff Advisory Council Liaison, as well as reworking the committee list so that all officers have the lead on at least one committee. In 2020 the Standing Rules were updated to reflect the changes made in the C&B. In December 2020 the change to the C&B document was to change 'Emerit' to 'Retiree' as only faculy can retire with the Emeriti status. The Standing Rules will be changed in 2021 to reflect this change and others as needed.